Each year, members from Ward 6 schools collaborate to advocate for adequate funding of our schools, and of all DC public schools across the city.
SY2024 Budget Advocacy
Elizabeth Corinth Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Hello, my name is Elizabeth Corinth. I am a ward 6 resident and the parent of three DCPS students at School-Within-School @ Goding, where I currently serve as the LSAT chair. As we prepare the DCPS budget allocations for FY24, we urgently need to address the insufficiency of the baseline budgets that schools receive. I challenge…
Stephen Kletter Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Good evening. My name is Stephen Kletter and I am a practicing economist who has lived and worked in the District for over 25 years. I have two children that attend Jackson-Reed High School. Over the past few years I have spent an enormous amount of my own time deciphering the old and new DCPS…
Sonja Walti – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Thank you for the opportunity to testify at today’s DCPS Public Budget Hearing, and thank you to my fellow participants and the public for guiding our school system’s use of resources. I am testifying here on behalf of School Without Walls High School’s Local School Advisory Team, to make three requests for DCPS’ 2023-24 school…
Max Whitsell Testimony – DCPS Budget – Nov 16 2022
7th Grade Student, CHML Mr. Chancellor, my name is Max Whitsell and I’m in 7th grade at CHML. My school and friends are really important to me – and so are sports. I found out today at basketball practice that DCPS will not allow my school to have a basketball team that can compete in…
Danica Petroshius Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
LSAT Secretary, SIT Member, Parent at Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan Chancellor Ferebee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. I am Danica Petroshius a DCPS parent for the last 12 years. My children both started at Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan at age 3 and now they are a 7th grader at CHML and…
Joshua Wiley Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Good Evening and thank you for allowing me to testify today. My name is Joshua Wiley, and I am an Assistant Principal at Whittier Elementary School. Many school leaders will not testify about their school building due to fear of retaliation but my fear of students in an unsafe learning environment supersedes that. I am…
Martin Welles Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Good Evening Mayor Bowser, DME Kihn, Members of DC Council, Chancellor Ferebee and DCPS: My name is Marty Welles and I have three children at Jackson-Reed High School. My children participate in a total of 7 different sports – Soccer (Fall); Cross-Country (Fall); Cheerleading (Year-Round); Ultimate (Year-Round); Track (Winter/Spring); Lacrosse (Fall/Spring); and Softball (Spring). All…
Tim Abdella Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Hello, Thank you for your time this evening. My name is Tim Abdella. I’m a Parent of 2 Capitol Hill Montessori DCPS students, Gabriella Abdella, age 13 in the 8th grade and Lauren Abdella, age 10 in the 5th grade. Both girls started at Capitol Hill Montessori, Gabriella was born in September, she started at…
Tommy Jones Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Good evening, Chancellor Ferebee, DCPS staff and leadership, parents and students and participants of this DCPS Budget engagement process. My name is Tommie Jones, and I am proud CHML parent of a rising first grade scholar. I am the new chair of our LSAT and am committed to supporting CHML for years to come. My…
Danielle Drissel Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Good evening DCPS Budget Team and Chancellor Ferebee. I am Danielle Drissel, a Ward 6 parent of students at Brent Elementary and Stuart Hobson, I am also a member of W6PSPO and the Capitol Cluster PTA Advocacy Chair but am addressing you in my personal capacity. I am testifying this evening about the need for…
Betsy Wolf Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Thank you for the opportunity to testify tonight. Let me start by saying that I believe we have the same goals for all DC students, and that is for all students to flourish. But it’s easy to give lip service to equity, and a lot harder to actually implement equitable policies and allocate resources equitably.…
Suzanne Wells Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
My name is Suzanne Wells, and I am the president of the Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization. I am testifying this evening about the need to increase the salaries of Educational Aides in DCPS, school-based technology, and librarians. Based on information from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 2921, the…
Sandra Moscoso Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Good evening DCPS Budget Team and Chancellor Ferebee. I am Sandra Moscoso, a member of the School Without Walls High School Home and School Association (HSA) and LSAT and an officer of the Ward 2 and Ward 6 education councils. Our schools need budget stability. Unfortunately, year after year, central office has not been successful…
Grace Hu Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
Grace Hu November 16, 2022 Digital Equity in DC EducationDigitalEquityDC@gmail.com DCPS Budget Hearing Good evening. My name is Grace Hu and I am a parent at Amidon-Bowen Elementary. Today I am here on behalf of Digital Equity in DC Education, a citywide coalition of parents working to close the digital divide and to…
Juni Testimony – DCPS Budget Hearing – Nov 16 2022
My name is Juni—-, and I am a 4th grader at Amidon Bowen Elementary School. I would like to ask you to spend more money on increasing aide and substitute salaries, putting money into computers, and giving schools good materials. I think you should put more money into funding teacher aide and substitute salaries. Teacher…
SY2023 Budget Advocacy
Suzanne Wells Testimony – CoW Budget Oversight on All Ed Agencies – 3 28 2022
DC Council COW Budget Oversight Hearing on All Education AgenciesMarch 28, 2022Testimony of Suzanne WellsWard 6 Public Schools Parent Organization Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the FY23 DCPS budget. I am Suzanne Wells, President of the Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization. I’m also a community member on the Eastern High School…
W6PSPO Budget Meeting & Middle School Principal Panel
Dear Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization members, Please mark your calendars for two important meetings in February: 1. On Wednesday, February 9, at 7:30 pm, there will be a budget discussion with Chris Laskowski, Legislative Director for Councilmember Charles Allen. CM Allen is preparing a budget letter to the Mayor asking her to include…
SY2022 Budget Advocacy
Video: Ward 6 Middle Schools Principals Panel – March 9, 2022
Principals across Ward 6 feeder middle schools share their ideas on what makes a good middle school, how their schools help all students reach their highest potential, what extracurricular activities they offer, and more. Moderator: Denise Forte, the interim CEO of the Education
Hopeful News! DCPS SY22 school staff may be restored – please help us confirm
Dear DCPS Communities and Families, We hope you’ve heard the good news (fingers crossed) that the Mayor is allocating $14M additional (federal aid) funds to solve the gaps that have led to staff cuts at our schools. We are cautiously optimistic, though, as $14M is short of the $18M budget expert Mary Levy estimated needed to…
Follow up (Letter to Mayor Bowser): Our Students and Schools Need More Funding, Not Cuts
April 7, 2021 Dear Mayor Bowser, We are reaching out on behalf of Ward education councils and community leaders across DC to request a meeting with you where we can discuss your administration’s plans for restoring school staff positions that were eliminated in FY22 school budget allocations and investing more in schools that have great…
Ward 4 Education Alliance – COW Hearing: DCPS Initial School Level Budgets FY22 – April 2, 2021
Committee of the Whole Public Roundtable on DCPS Initial School Level Budgets Cathy Reilly on Behalf of the Ward 4 Education Alliance April 2, 2021, 9:30am Thank you for this opportunity to testify on the DCPS local school budgets. My name is Cathy Reilly and I am here testifying on behalf of the Ward 4…
ANC4B01 – COW Hearing: DCPS Initial School Level Budgets FY22 – April 2, 2021
Testimony of Evan Yeats on Behalf of ANC4B01 Committee of the Whole Public Roundtable on DCPS Initial School Level Budgets April 2, 2021, 9:30am Dear Chair Mendelson and Councilmembers: Thank you for the opportunity to submit this written testimony. This testimony is largely based Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Priorities, passed unanimously…
Ward 7 Education Council – COW Hearing: DCPS Initial School Level Budgets FY22 – April 2, 2021
Dr. Marla M. Dean Testimony on Behalf of Ward 7 Education Council Committee of the Whole Public Roundtable on DCPS Initial School Level Budgets April 2, 2021, 9:30am Good Morning Chairman Mendelson, Councilmembers and Council Staff. Thank you for the opportunity to come before you this morning. I am Dr. Marla M. Dean, ED/CEO of…
Mary Levy Testimony – COW Hearing: DCPS Initial School Level Budgets FY22 – April 2, 2021
Mary Levy Testimony Committee of the Whole Public Roundtable on DCPS Initial School Level Budgets April 2, 2021, 9:30am As an education finance lawyer, a budget and policy analyst, and a DCPS parent, I have studied DCPS local school and overall budgets for 40 years. When DCPS posted proposed local school budgets for next year,…
Ward 1 Education Council Testimony – COW Hearing: DCPS Initial School Level Budgets FY22 – April 2, 2021
On Behalf of the Ward 1 Education Council Committee of the Whole Public Roundtable on DCPS Initial School Level Budgets April 2, 2021, 9:30am Good morning Chairman and Councilmembers. My name is Alexandra Simbana, a parent of a 3rd grader at Cleveland Elementary, a member of my school’s LSAT and member of the Ward 1…
Ward 2 Education Council Testimony – COW Hearing: DCPS Initial School Level Budgets FY22 – April 2, 2021
Chairman and Councilmembers. I am Sandra Moscoso, treasurer of the Ward 2 Education Council and a parent of two students at School Without Walls High School. I am here to ask that you support funding our schools so they are able to maintain current staffing levels and to also invest more in schools hardest hit…
Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization Testimony – COW Hearing: DCPS Initial School Level Budgets FY22 – April 2, 2021
I am Valerie Jablow, Ward 6 resident and DCPS parent testifying on behalf of the Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization. As you know, DCPS is forcing schools to cut staff and make impossible budget choices for the 21-22 school year, the first year of recovery after more than one year of disrupted learning due…
Upcoming Opportunities to Support DCPS School Staffing and Budgets
Dear DC School Community Members, Thank you for your support in demanding the city maintain the current staffing levels at all DCPS schools for the upcoming school year AND increase funding in schools serving students most impacted by the pandemic. 794 community members from 97 schools across all 8 wards have shown their support. Thank you…
Petition: Our Students and Schools Need More Funding, Not Cuts
DC Public Schools is forcing schools to cut staff for the 2021-22 school year, the first year of recovery after more than one year of disrupted learning due to Covid-19. Education councils in Wards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, and ANC Commissioners initiated this petition to demand that the city maintain the current…
Valerie Jablow Testimony – Oversight Hearing for Education Agencies – March 9, 2021
My name is Valerie Jablow, and as a DCPS parent, I am testifying about DCPS; the charter board; DME; and OSSE. That’s 3 minutes to address the performance of four agencies handling more than $2 BILLION annually—45 seconds per agency or about $11 million per second. As a public witness, I am theoretically like everyone…
W6PSPO Meets Tuesday March 16 @ 7pm
Dear Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization Members, W6PSPO will meet on Tuesday, March 16, at 7 pm. Paul Kihn, the Deputy Mayor of Education (DME), will join us to discuss the recovery planning being done by his office. This will be an opportunity to share your experiences and ideas around school reopening, virtual learning, accelerating…
Elizabeth Mitchell Testimony – Oversight Hearing for Education Agencies – March 9, 2021
If you had asked me in June to come up with the worst reopening plan imaginable, I’m not sure I could have done as amazing a job as DCPS. It’s almost art. After promising us soap at the onset of the pandemic – mind you- after one of the worst flu seasons our school had…
Sandra Moscoso Testimony – Oversight Hearing for Education Agencies – March 9, 2021
Chairman and Councilmembers. I am Sandra Moscoso, a parent of two students at School Without Walls High School, president of the school’s Home and School Association, secretary of the Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization, and treasurer of the Ward 2 Education Council. A lot has gone wrong this year, but I want to focus…
Mary Levy Testimony – Oversight Hearing for Education Agencies – March 9, 2021
As an education finance lawyer, a budget and policy analyst, and a DCPS parent, I have studied DCPS data and policies for 40 years. Below are results of some of my analyses. Three weeks ago, DCPS posted proposed local school budgets for next year. A small group of us has downloaded and converted them to…
Grace Hu Testimony – Oversight Hearing for Education Agencies – March 9, 2021
Grace Hu Digital Equity in DC Education Written Testimony My name is Grace Hu. I am a DCPS parent and one of the co-leads for the Digital Equity in DC Education parent coalition. Since 2018, we’ve advocated for technology funding and a comprehensive technology plan that outlines how DCPS will fund and provide computers, IT…
W6PSPO Meeting – Feb 17, 2021: SY22 Budget and Community Voice in Education
DCPS Budgets dropped this week! Thank you to Laura Marks, chief of staff to Councilmember Charles Allen, Anne Phelps, DC Council Counsel and Senior Advisor, and Jonathan Antista, Deputy Director for Budget, in the DC Council Office of the Budget Director (Starting at 35:48 Mins) Find the Budget Presentation HERE. Thank you, Patricia Stamper, EmpowerEd…
W6PSPO Meeting Agenda – November 16, 2020
Dear Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization members, There’s a lot going on, and I’m doing my best to capture it! The W6PSPO meeting will be on Monday, November 16, from 7 – 8:30 pm (please note we’re moving our normal Tuesday meeting to Monday). A zoom link will be sent out before the meeting. On…
Ward 6 Public School Parents Organization 